Children of Immigrants Are More Educated Than Their Peers

Feb. 14, 2013

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It's worth bearing in mind that there are variations among second-generation immigrant groups, as with any population. Eighty percent of Hispanics say they speak Spanish, but only forty percent of Asian Americans say the same thing about their parents' native language. Far more Asian-Americans – 55 percent – than second-generation Latinos – 21 percent – have a bachelor's degree or more.

While Pew cautions against the blanket idea that there has been uniform upward mobility between immigrant children and their parents, it's a strong indictor that many of the immigrants who came to the United States hoping for opportunity and a better life for their children have succeeded in raising adults who now perform as well if not better than their immigrant and non-immigrant peers.

"[W]hile large gaps remain between groups," read the report, "it is also the case that within each group, the second generation is doing better than the first on most key measures of economic success."

The comprehensive report was put together using both Census data and Pew's own surveys.